As a True Elvis Fan, I read this book when it first came out. I cried as I read it. I could not believe my hero had died. I could not and still do not believe a lot of what is in this book! Be that as it may, I do believe Red and Sonny really Loved Elvis! Dave, I don’t know about! But, as time has gone on, it proves that Elvis was a flawed Human being, just like the rest of us! It also proves that Elvis is larger than life! Long Live The King. No one will ever come close to doing what he accomplished during his lifetime.
There's a lot to process in there - but as you say, human beings are flawed, can't expect stars not to be - and if you couple that with that sort of cossetted state (perhaps that's ignoring army life tho) from relatively early in life, and some questionable managerial choices, it's probably a recipe for things to go off the rails in some way. Untouchable performer though, there's no detracting from that. Spend a few minutes with any sort of footage of Elvis on form, you forget all about a guy shooting televisions pretty quickly!
@@bertsbooks2505 Can’t tell you how many times I wanted to shoot my TVs! LOL. Don’t have the resources to replace them or repair the walls! LOL! BTW. After watching the video, I don’t get the impression that you were detracting from Elvis. Simply pointing out the stories in the book. None of us were with Elvis, so everything on our parts is speculation. But, There is No doubt he was the Greatest Entertainer Of All Time! I miss him immensely! I was 20 when he passed. I literally cried for days! Not ashamed to admit it. It was like losing a very close friend or relative!
Gotta hold my hand up to going for a cheap giggle when the opportunity presents (I mean c'mon... that chimpanzee!) But, you know, credit where it's due also, have to acknowledge what the fuss was about in the first place. Actually, Red West's recollections of the fifties (I forget which chapter) are as good as anything I've read, on that front.
@@bertsbooks2505 Are you referring to the Chimp that used to raise the lady’s dresses and peer underneath? Have to admit, I wished I was that Chimp! LOL!
He was under the most tremendous pressure all his adult life/ being really the very first world wide Rock Star Every one after him has learnt from his mistakes. but whatever he did wrong in his personal life. nothing can take away his huge and world altering achievements in his short 20 years of life He altered popular music. forever and spear headed social changes on his own. I don’t think there will ever be. a famous musician or actor or star who will still be loved and so much remembered nearly 50 years after their death in the way that Elvis is
Elvis just human like all us He try so hard keep his fans happy that why we lost him so young thank you ELVIS PRESLEY You are BEST NEVER FORGET YOU TCB 2021
It would have helped if they had a copy of it to read before it was published. But they had not ever written a book before and trusted the writer of the book too much. Cause it wasn’t intended to be so lop sided. They told allot of good things That Elvis had done which were extremely generous and generous to a fault. Elvis never impaled anyone with a pool que. Elvis would have never done that to any woman. See thats what I mean. These things were way over blown. He would have ordered a person out of his house but not struck a woman. This is pure crap. The book made it all about his drug use. And the use of drugs was something That only happened in the last two years. Sonny said the thing that he thinks of Elvis he thinks of his generous humanity. His love people. The care of what can he do to help someone else. He helped everyone but himself.
@@gracieg7601Two people said they witnessed it in separate interviews. One was a girl. The other I cant recall, but it did happen. What these guys wrote was 100x worse than anything Pricilla said, yet she is the devil…unreal
So the volume sucks. 3 snakes that betrayed the King out of spite and bitterness because he fired them. Never mind the cars, jewelry and homes he bought them. That wasn’t enough for these vampires. They stomped their feet on the way out and betrayed him in the worst way possible, they knew what they did, they couldn’t even show their faces at his funeral.
Blue snowball microphones. You don't think it's a little more nuanced than that? When Elvis was in the mood, a passing stranger might get a car out of him. Red West never got to go to the wedding either.
The wedding was done so fast ... n that was down to Parker why he never attended the wedding ... they talk about in the taped phone call in 76 . Nothing to do with elvis.. go figure
They was back stabbers. They all did what they clam elvis did. Elvis was a man tho an took care of grown ass mens. For a long time. Give him his respect.
I agree!! Not just that what I heard the real reason Elvis got rid of Sony and Red, Elvis was being taken to court on several cases of those two beaten up his fan's and Elvis was absolutely so mad cause they all knew his fan's meant the world to him!! I refuse to buy any book about Elvis!!
Starting reading this book a few days ago, I was born in 79, a big Elvis fan for the last 10 years, I think he was the best singer and performer ever. To me I find it hard to believe Elvis was even real. The book makes me feel closer to him and I can imagine him as a real person when I read it
Nice to hear! Just keep on reading and you will understand more and more about this unique person. He really was! Such a kind person. Alanna Nash, Peter Guralnick are the two best to read!!!
@@nenabunena He was definitely real. I would feel same way if I had not seen him in person twice. I was a teenager then. He was real and despite the fact that I saw him in concert, I still find him hard to believe he was real.
The 3 bodyguards were fired in July '76. Elvis never fired them, he got his Dad to do it. The reason? It was about cutting back on expenses. The real reason was they were trying to stop Elvis from taking so much medication, to a point they knew he was killing himself. They felt betrayed, thrown out on the street, especially Sonny and Red who had known Elvis for years. The book was released a few weeks before Elvis died. When Elvis died, the book became a completely different read. Fans were looking for people to blame. His personal doctor and the 3 that wrote the book were the ones fans took their anger out on. Sadly, the only one responsible for Elvis' death was Elvis.
@@seekerofthetruth9805 look he had Insomina ,nervousness and shyness taking and how he perform like that on stage with sheers guts under nervousness, shyness it beyond me the Prescriptions pills helped some way and he got hooked some could of made he hooked people giving him it when they should not of... how did he get out of control EXPLAIN oh shooting his TV he can if he wanted to he brought it he can shoot it and did..
@@susiemitchell8555 Yes he had many legit problems that he needed medication for! You build up a tolerance You realize how much medication he took on a daily night regimen? In his attack package 1 2 3 Has he called them... 11 sleeping pills & 3 Demerol syringes... that's Attack One... he still has two and three attacks to go through the night?... you're not even talkin about the uppers to the day... so I would think that's a little out of control.. but actually is a legit amount or a build up tolerance routine?. as he told his own family Billy Smith... maybe I do take to much..?.. nothing to do with shooting the TV... or the toilet... or the walls Referring to the medication.. addiction!! can get out of control Only human like the rest of u! As the people close to him..said!!. people don't understand he took them because he loved takein them... You actually know the amount in a number count he took?... yes he shared a lot of his medications with the rest of the group... they had to.....to just keep up with him...
@@susiemitchell8555 He had a lot more problems going on then what u listed .health .& lot going on behind the scenes You know he was put in the hospital three times for overdosing? And many nights after dr Nick put his head in a bucket of ice water too revive him so he can get on stage.. Louisville Kentucky.... everybody around know this the overuse of medications nobody says knows to Elvis Col didn't help the situation... you do not think that whole situation got out of control everybody else around him did? As he know too...
@@susiemitchell8555 Here 5300 pill & syringes in 7 months... that's the Tennessee Board &Court records of Dr Nick..susie?.. You think that's still not out of control.? I'm a in-depth fan ... but I will lay the facts out I wish that he didn't abused the medications and his health issues in his bad eating habits and made his life turn around... and I'm not putting anybody else higher or myself no higher in the situation I would probably did the same ... the pressures that he had I get that Again I'm just laying out how life style can get out of control... he was only human ... as he said I'm not like that sign out there.. and he's referring to Elvis Presley Boulevard... you cut me I bleed... (quote)
This GREATEST PERFORMER WHO EVER LIVED had an addiction to PRESCRIBED pain meds as THOUSANDS BEFORE HIM AND THOUSANDS SINCE.....That's not what his fans remember him for...WE Loved him as he Loved his fans He will always be remembered and Loved by his true fans HE GAVE HIS FANS HIS ALL....AND TRUE FANS LOVE HIM UNCONDITIONALLY....
Just finished reading What Happened?. Elvis was human. He was unusual due to his circumstances: surrounded by enablers, lacking boundaries, and unrestricted access to his vices. I would love to see this book faithfully adapted as an R-rated miniseries.
Sometimes occurs to me that unless a star has a particularly responsible manager, there's no 'upward safety net'! 'Careless Love' (the Guralnick book) seems quite an apt title.
There is no way that would ever happen why.cause Elvis Presley enterprises will never allow it to happen cause it would put Elvis in a bad light and they don't want that which is understandable and it may effect the$$$$$coming in regardless I would really love to see a mini series on Elvis what happened.
please check what they falsely claim in that book; for instance Red West pretends that Elvis was wrong when he thought that Priscilla was cheating on him with her dance teacher. This is a revenge book written by 3 angry guys who were too violent with Elvis' fans; why would Elvis' fans give them credit for what they pretend about Elvis ?
@@luciedetant1095 I am opposed to how Elvis knew about the effects of drugs. He had a box in which he kept them like jewelry. during an affair he reproaches the doctor for not injecting a girl because he had "exaggerated" with a certain antitussive medicine (which was exclusively "prescribed" for Elvis) and which the said girl had swallowed without hesitation. So far (I haven't finished reading), the book unfolds in a cascade, the statements of childhood friends are sometimes nostalgic and angry, contemptuous of Elivs' reactions to the disease (excessive sweating) and full of reproaches or remorse. People were certainly frustrated because they ended up taking out their aggression on the fans who eventually even demanded damages from Elvis for the behavior of his "staff".
It is sad, in a lot of ways - though some of it, like that business with the chimpanzee - is just so farcical. I don't think the book really dented his standing as an artist, though. When I first read it, it made me more curious about his work, if anything.
You have attacked every word he everything you could about Elvis. You could never handle his fame, therefor you never will…Elvis was the King, and always will be, loved by millions all around the world. Was he perfect, no, he was a human person. Was he loved, yes, by most people on Earth. Was he kind and generous, yes, of the best kind, did he have medical problems, yes, numerous, thus the “drugs”. He had to live with inherited conditions and the suckers and users, hanging on for a living. We miss you Elvis!
I'm not quite clear what you're getting at in that first sentence or two. I have attacked everything I can about Elvis? Hardly. I think I made it clear I'm not disputing his significance or talent. The 'medicinal use only' argument about his drug intake seems to have some contemporary currency, but that one's relatively new to me at this point. Hangers-on there may have been, but the likes of Red West were expected to put themselves in harm's way for the man.
@@naomiwarner7117 Red? My understanding was that the basic salary (once he got on the payroll at all, which he wasn't at first) wasn't so hot? There's a quote concerning E's generosity with gifts - which was renowned for, but it's kind of capricious by nature - but less so with money, the idea being that the latter allowed his circle their independence, and he wasn't so keen on that
I agree they were mad they tried to blsme it on the publisher don't buy it for one minute. Put stuff in there like visting dead bodies. Red made Elvis sound like a punk he couldn't defense hisself. The part about the hit on Stone why put that in there even if so. Then they traveled overseas making money off Elvis. Blood suckers.
@@bertsbooks2505 Betrayal by former confidantes for money, and Elvis died only 5 days after this book becamea available to the public. This book broke, Elvis's 💙
No matter how much is truth and how much is exaggerated in this book "Elvis what happened" ? 45 years later it's still plainly obvious the book was written with revenge in mind. These guys were knowledgeable enough to know if they couldn't help change Elvis Presley by being by his side for over 20 years in Red's case and 16 in Sonny's that a book certainly wouldn't make him change his ways. You can justify that they needed money because they were fired after all those years with two weeks notice but the book reeks of jealousy. It's as if they never truly cared about Elvis and they definitely didn't care about him as much as they cared about the perks of being around him. When Elvis took that away these guys true colors came out in a grimey way.
You are so right! Red West admitted that they made up a lot of stuff in that book because they were pissed! Red did this before his own death and, Sonny felt so bad about it, that he started going to schools and, places to tell the good stories and, how great Elvis was to the children!
@naomiwarner7117 They didn't feel bad enough to tell the truth sooner ..right after his death would have been a good time.. and not after they milked his memory for all it was worth. I wonder how much money they made off that book. And how much did they make touring and giving interviews.. @@naomiwarner7117
He loved his friends..Tom Parker made his life to hard with his control and taking half of Elvis's money..and Gambling it all..Life Got to hard for Elvis..he was in Fact Human..
Elvis did well over 600 songs, approx 30 films in around 10 years, over 600 concerts in Las Vegas alone, not a bad effort considering he only put around 50% focus into his career, he seemed like a big kid unfazed by finances etc, Elvis and The Colonel have to be the most successful artist/manager combo of all time, Parker obviously wouldn't have been perfect but Elvis is still on top close to 70 years after he started.
I kind of feel he might have eased off on the films a little... or held out for some more heavyweight roles at least. Interesting that he was a contender for A Star Is Born at one point
Every person is flawed. A flaw is usually balanced by a tremendous talent, power, or skill. Every mind has an addiction department, which must be kept full of positive things.
I actually read this book maybe a month before Elvis's death, I was an Elvis fan, actually saw him in concert four times. After reading the book I said to myself, I hope Elvis lives through this before he dies. Little did I know!
I read this book when it first came out and did not believe most of it. I think they were mad because Vernon fired them and they wrote it out of vengeance. I also think it made Elvis die sooner than he would have, because he was so worried about the book.
I dunno, Elvis hadn't been doing his own health many favours for a considerable time by that point. If the finger's to be pointed at other parties on his mortality, not sure Red and Co would really be top of that list?
People will differ with me. But I think his bodyguards loved him and they wanted to help Mr. Elvis Presley and wanted him quit the medicines. Their greatest mistake was that they went to the press and revealed Mr Elvis's heavy intake of medicines. Reporters don't help, they sensationalize things especially the tabloids. After being fired they should have taken more time. But did Mr Elvis Presley survive long ? It is better to accept our faults and rectify them.
I did think the book revealed a level of affection towards him on their part - wounded affection, maybe... and they may not have extended it to Vernon!
I think there'd been some long-standing resentment between Vernon and certain Memphis Mafia members, and that they felt he might have interpreted Elvis' instructions through his own particular lens. e.g. in the past, some staff layoffs had been temporary, until a situation cooled down. Seem to recall a line somewhere along the lines of 'Vernon never got that memo'!
You must be too young. Elvis was on top in the 70s. Aloha in 73 was spectacular and he only declined 76/77. The Vegas scene you portray about Mike Stone “hit” never left the room. You don’t know shit
@@deboisblanc Aloha was spectacular I agree. Hard not to be for Elvis - but with MSG he could let loose as he had several shows and no film cameras to worry about. "You don’t know shit" funny - bless you friend :)
@@deboisblanc I thought I covered the Aloha bit? I think the book mentions the 'hit' thing fizzling out after a bit of stalling on the bodyguards' part. 'maybe it's too heavy'.
@@bertsbooks2505 Larry Geller "If I can dream:Elvis own story" p.228 ("the fans are not dumb.They won't believe this. My fans are very special,they know the truth")
@@bertsbooks2505 Did any friend of Matthew Perry ever pretend to help him with his prescribed drugs addictions with a tell all book of their own ? What really matters : Keith Richards/Rod Stewart/so many other rocks stars' addictions or their talent and achievement ?
@@lillyd2246 Can't say I'm intimate with the Perry case, how did he react if his friends / employees tried to confront him personally on it? Your latter point - well I kind of concur there, more or less... see end of vid.
The Golden Rule. Imagine your best friends writing a book on you when you ARE, present tense, a global superstar. Elvis was alone - no one to trust and had to stay in his bedroom because he could not even walk down the street as he WOULD be mobbed. So alone with the knowledge of this extreme inconceivable betrayal ~ he lost his will to live. There is no excuse for writing this book. Elvis reached out to Red West to make amends for Vernon’s firing. Sonny and the others decided to proceed even when there were other options. Dear beautiful soul Elvis. Sensitive and complex. This was a betrayal on a scale that is Shakespearean.
Shakespearean villains: 'So few act totally out of malice; more than a few have some genuine axes to grind with the so-called “hero” of the play (I mean, you’d be a villain too if you had to put up with a moody Hamlet for a step-son, right?) It’s a fine reminder that Shakespeare was a writer of terrific nuance...' (from what I recall of Shakespeare, his 'heroes' could pack a few flaws, too).
That’s bs, Elvis was Elvis and he could go anywhere he wanted. He loved being who he was. So many, many stores about Elvis going all around Memphis, hanging out with friends and fans, police officers, Gimme a break. 😊
Elvis was a talent like no other but he had some bizarre behavior which was shared by many who knew him well, not just Sonny and Red West. Without a doubt the the Memphis Mafia had to discuss amongst each other about Elvis’s strange behavior.
The hangers on were strange as well. Waiting for bread crumbs and chicken feed when they had wives and children!!!!! Something just doesn't add up. Elvis had a bunch of sad sacks around him, they had no idea what he was going through. Maybe that's all they were good for, if your boss doesn't pay you enough, go find another job!!!! But it's all Elvis's fault though.
@@freemanreed5228 I'm sorry but I don't believe they were all in for the love of Elvis.. If he payed them crap how did their wives and children survive? No one has ever addressed that issue.. just that he didn't pay them much. Does not add up. If they got payed so little why were they all that upset? Him dying was the jackpot for them as they made a living off of touring telling his hungry fans how much they loved him...
I was watching an interview with Dave Hebler a month ago on RU-vid Bert and he said he hated the book he said that's not the book they wanted he said when the book was published the publisher put all the negative things in the book when they said positive things about Elvis
I'm not sure if it's that one I saw or something similar, might have been with one of the Wests, it looks like they may have been a bit naive over how a tabloid type would handle the project, although they did seem to intend the final thing to come as a bit of a jolt to Elvis to examine his ways. Dunleavey, of course, went for the sensationalist angle, but I do think he allowed something of the trio's bruised affection for E to come through also.
I read this book with an open mind, to be honest, their revelations in this book against Elvis are more like a joke today, while many faces go the weirdest ways to get just a little more attention. It is clear that Red West has long been jealous of Elvis' success and position. He plays a special role for himself, as if he were the savior of Elvis and the founder of his success! He tries to deny Elvis all the time, like, he was not a strong person, he did not have as much talent in singing and playing as people think, he was not a master in martial arts and and go on ..! Even when he talks about Elvis's generosity, he wants to somehow count it as a reason for people to surrender in the future to Elvis! They say that an event has three aspects, what you see, what we see, what really exists, this book has a very one-sided view and defines the truth only from the point of view of the author! By the way, I do not call people friends only as long as their hands are in your pockets! Aside from all the author's unravels, it contains a lot of information, and of course the level of jealousy in the book, which sometimes leads to stupidity, made me laugh.😁👍
I see it both ways, but for sure Elvis created this whole problem by having them all around him and paying for everything, they were so codependent on him it was sick, and I think Elvis wanted it that way as well, to have total mastery of his company, and employees, not friends, so the lines were blurred and when it comes to money Elvis didn't care about it, but loyalty, and even if it meant getting strung out and doing life ending drug amounts, he wanted complete loyalty or they would be punished or set straight.
As I recall these guys had gotten very worried about Elvis' health and this book was a sort of intervention as they had tried everything else possible to get Elvis to confront his drug addiction. Anyone who has been an addict or has had one in their family or a perhaps even a spouse knows that everything the guys are saying about Elvis with regard to his erratic behavior and declining physical health brought on by years of prescription drug abuse is almost certainly true. All one had to do was look at Elvis the last couple of years of his life to know he was a physical wreck and was not going to live a long life unless he got some help. It didn't work and as we all know Elvis lost his battle with drugs, fame and ego and died shortly after the books release.
He didn't need the extra pills/ Demerol he was getting from someone in the band n other doctors ... that's why red was going to break the guys legs.... Demerol is leethal n the amounts elvis was taken I'm surprised he lasted as long as he did.
Elvis tried to kerp EVERYONE HAPPY but HIMSELF he was FORCED to MARRY honored THAT COMMITMENT he lost his mom Priscilla jealousy could NEVER PLEASE her WORKED to DEATH lonely USED by so call friends used by CERTAIN family member to this day it NEVER ENDS MAKING money on books Lisa Marie millions dollars bills paid by movie Priscilla using Presley name when she's an EX not a Widow it never ENDS REST in PEACE ELVIS TRY
@@bertsbooks2505 you should read and review Dr. Forest Tennant lengthy chronological detailed article on Elvis health ailments and his book on Elvis to answer all your questions on his rapid decline. He had access to both of Elvis medical records and history as well as his autopsy
We have to realize these guys were his childhood friends and had put their lives on the line for the man many times and saved his life countless times. Then he fired them and they had no jobs and were pissed off. They didn’t lie but just told the truth which to me didn’t lower ElViS but made him far more interesting. He didn’t hurt any children and didn’t rap any women or else that would have been the end for me. He was just dealing with the tremendous stress and loneliness of being on top. I love his bodyguards. Their down to earth and honest. Many are upset with their honesty but I would be upset if they lied and as time goes on we realize they didn’t lie.
It's Glen Eaton Elvis he trusted them they broke it bad by doing that book when you love some one you do not hurt them like that, Red and Sonny were bullies drunks ,took drugs beat up fans , sleeping with underage kids Elvis got wind of that smashed up motels!! Beat up fans Elvis pay out so many compensation because of they behaved they were bad men not good, I read Gladys warn Red do not upset Elvis ever if she was alive red would of had it by her, they was sacked by they disgusting manner to fans they betrayed Elvis in the worse possible way
Elvis didn't intend to fire them though. His plan was to suspend them and give them 3 months severance to tide them over. He was getting a lot of lawsuits bec of Red and Sonny's mishandling of fans, I'm sure the confrontations didn't help either. But Vernon hated them and fired them instead with 1 week's pay. Sonny has revealed this in countless interviews, something he learned after Elvis died from Linda Thompson bec she was there when Elvis told his daddy to suspend Red and Sonny but to fire Dave only. Frank Sinatra offered to have all 3 'taken cared' of but Elvis refused, he couldn't do that to his best friends and he couldn't believe they would push through with it because like it has been said, he knew Red since highschool. How wrong Elvis was.
I just watched Dave Hebler say himself that yes.. he did do it as he needed money among other reasons. Watch the talk - he's quite frank and makes things quite understandable
very recent one where 'Spaguy' has him talk to a small audience. I must say I always wondered if Hebler/etc were the bad guys but I can see they really tried to help him and he wouldn't have it. You get to see the other side. That said - I would never have written the book for any amount of money or any other reason no matter what my situation. Still, he was honest enough to say he was pissed with E and his father and it seems like it wasn't handled well at all and he was in some sense justified. @@bertsbooks2505
I’m sorry, but those guys just set the stage for what I see as the most betrayed man in show business. It’s one thing to know your idols are human. It’s another thing to know they shit the bed. I think this book was just about humiliating the man who made their lives possible
You can't take the book at face value they were upset with Elvis when they wrote it everything he ever took was prescribed even though he took too much thinking it was okay because it was prescribed and yes he was good at martial arts I'm a black belt myself and he when he was feeling good look very good and some of his moves and kickswhen he's onstage doing it he's in a 30-pound suit and still kicking high don't need some non fan telling me anyting about Elvis let everybody go look at their own sins it was very generous and give too many poor people and said during concerts Jesus was King not him you can Google that recording
Gary. I saw Elvis 4 times In Concert. Nov 12, 1971, Houston Texas. March 3, 1974 at the evening performance at the Houston Astrodome. June 4, 1975 in Houston and Dec 7, 1976 in Las Vegas. In 71 and 74, his shows were phenomenal. In 75, there was a marked decline in his performance. He had put on a Lot of weight. His voice was fine, but people were really rooting him on. And he rose to the occasion and received several standing ovations. In Dec 76, he basically just stood there and sang. Said he had a pinched nerve in his calf and the pain was unbearable. His voice sounded tired, and I am sure he was tired. He was about the same weight as in June 75. Maybe a little heavier. But, I wouldn’t change those experiences for anything. He was and is still The Greatest Show On Earth!
@@exdus235 Thank You exodus 235. I am 63 yrs old, 64 next Sunday. I have been an Elvis fan since I first saw him in Fun In Acapulco in 1962. I will defend him until I no longer can. He was a man who had his faults, but no one can honestly say, that he intentionally hurt another human being,With the exception of Priscilla. And who knows what the truth is. Elvis gave a Lot to the world and asked very little in return!
Elvis had alot to proof to people alot of pressures from all sides he was a great person and a human being he was generous to all the end of the day it wasn't Elvis who sack them men it was his dad so why take it out on Elvis 😢
I'm on chapter 12... Now chapter 14 ... Oh goodness gracious. My grandfather was a mortitian, but I never set foot in his prominent Philadelphia funeral home, nor probably did his wife or daughter, (my Grandma & my mom). It's very interesting. Michael Jackson has many curious infatuations similar to those of 'E'.
Blue Snowball mikes - you set em high, you get tons of background, put em to setting 2, you lose the background noise, but everything's... quiet! Might try pushing it up a notch (also realised I've got frames dropping at a point, which I should try to disguise)
They may have been very hurt that they were fired. I believe the truth hurts and they were close with Elvis. They knew first hand how Elvis’s life was deteriorating from drug use. I just purchased the book from EBay.
They did not care about Elvis' medication, they never tried to help him, they were afraid of Elvis! Hurt? No, MAD because they were let go because of financial problems and, Dave H. was let go because he was being rude to his fan's!
Everything in that book was written out of anger and is their version of the story. I can’t believe you even believe that stuff. Just like the Mike stone story. They didn’t tell half of the story. Funny how they left out the parts of the stories that they wanted to. And there is no way that they believe that writing that book was going to help Elvis. Anyone who knows anyone who is addicted to prescription medication knows that would not help.
I love this book. Even if it is sensationalized by its author Dunleavy, one has to understand the meaning behind it. They loved Elvis and were desperate, cause they had already tried everything else. And the way they got treated by Elvis and his father wasn't good either. Everybody who can't see that, has either no brain or didn't do the research fully enough on this story to understand what really happened. Elvis was human and he did make mistakes, too. But because he was the icon, nobody wants to hear that. A true fan does.
they never loved Elvis their gravy train was pulling out of the station, their free ride was coming to a end. & each time Elvis wanted to take his life in a different direction, the satanic pull to bring Elvis under their control was a huge battle. & the illuminutty bool-yoo family were there leading the charge. every time.
@@TCB0816 he was no saint but one man up against a group of bitter men & a couple of women i dont know many who could survive that. they won they took him down. but his talent is undeniable & his name. whereas everyone else will be forgotten long after they are gone.
a very interesting response: 1) they loved Elvis. & Elvis loved them.2) Elvis was desperate, they were desperate. 3) the way they were treated by Elvis & Vernon was a professional approach. they thought they had special rights, they never thought of themselves as employees. damn arrogance as i see it. Females that attached themselves to that group are included. they all believed they were more special & deserved more than the other. the reality, it was a business, & that is the approach that those associates shud have viewed their time with Elvis. with their wounded vanity, they all cried a river. whether they like it or not Elvis was the boss, & thats the part they didnt like, & couldnt handle. they were all control freaks & in 2021 there is only one winner 14 - 76.yrs old. that is the most amazing thing in this saga. TCB really & for WHO ?.
I have heard in many interviews that this Dave Hebler guy was nothing but a gossip and exaggerated everything just for a story. If they wanted to help him they should of carried him to the car and took him to a hospital . Hanger ons will always stab you in the back, they just there to see what they can get an moan when it all gone and it never their fault always someone else to blame, in this case Elvis. Sonny West said he got one weeks wages when he left Graceland but there is a story out there that they got all their bills etc paid for months after they left and would be re- employed for next tour.
'If they wanted to help him they should of carried him to the car and took him to a hospital' - sorry, not clear what incident you're referring to here?
My attitudes toward Red and Sonny has certainly softened over the years. I don’t blame them for writing the book. WhileI don’t like the book, it is probably factual , as they lived it!
Tend to think that their affection for Elvis was genuine. Particularly Red, who seems to have stuck his neck out for E before he was 'anyone'. Maybe can factor in a quick buck as a partial motive, but I don't really buy the 'they were snakes/Judases' thing entirely. They might also have been a tad naive in getting involved with Dunleavy, whose handling of it I'm not sure they were entirely happy with. If anyone out there's got a strong stomach, I've also covered the Goldman book. In which I think we can take 'affection' out of the equation!
@@bertsbooks2505 Bert. I threw away the “What Happened” book when I first bought it. Never finished it. Still haven’t to this day. The Albert Goldman book was even worse. That guy should have been drawn and quartered for the hit piece. It was just a Vile piece of garbage.
Having read the book in the last couple of years, this is a good review. I tend to believe all of the stories, especially since Sonny and Red reunited several times with the core group of the MM. I believe all of the MM who sucked up to Priscilla and EPE (Jerry, Joe and Charlie) seemed to have been bought to push the company narrative after his death. You can see a lot of that narrative in Baz's movie. I do believe Elvis loved them all and they equally loved him. I'm a big Elvis fan and realize he was flawed like we all are in some way. We have much more information now on his health, etc and I can sympathize with Elvis and realize his image was far from the actual person.
I've always felt, whatever the motivations and however scurrilous some of the accounts are, there's a certain residual affection towards E within the book. Thanks for the positive words!
Sonny gave Elvis LSD, Red hired a hitman for him... but they're not responsible for Elvis' problems? Like any human being, Elvis is also influenced by the people around him, and they were among them during such a long time ...
Are you talking about the Christmas LSD thing that Priscilla and a couple of the others were in on? Sonny was the 'monitor' on that. 'Some of the guys in fact had already taken acid at Elvis' urging... the fact that he himself had remained an observer occasioned a good deal of cynical commentary.' Fortas: 'He was too scared to take it himself and we were stupid enough to be his guinea pigs'. Red, as far as I'm aware contacted a hitman, but it went no further. It's not an idea Red instigated.
@@bertsbooks2505 It was thanks to Elvis that nothing more happened with the hitman; Larry Geller explained how Elvis took it himself, following the guide written when LSD was not yet illegal. Larry and Jerry were there, Fortas was not. One more misinformation from MM.
@@Val45678 Who instigated the hit man idea? Yeah, Red shouldn't have gone along with it that far and says as much, but ultimately, whose idea was the hit man?
I have not read the book. Only know what I’ve seen on line. I do know after I heard the phone conversation I was angry. Elvis wanted to talk about his wedding and hurt. Red overlooked it anc had a different motive. There is no way he should have taped that without Elvis knowing it. How awful. Not all, but wondering about all motives umm?
That's a bit exaggerated about shooting the TVs ... I know he shot it a few times when Robert goulet came on ... but there was a reason for that ... apparently he said he would look after Anita wood when he was in the army .so you can see why he did it .. and remember dunleavy had an agenda with this book .
Yeah, the NBKs mention hopefully gives Dunleavy a bit of context... my personal perspective on the TV thing is - if you shoot your TV once, you've kind of crossed a line there, whoever you are! 'handle a firearm with the same care you'd handle a rattlesnake' I think was a West (or Hebler) dictum!
It's a scandalous book full of errors written by three revengeful people that Elvis fired because he had to remind them who the boss was. Elvis planned to re-hire them once the lesson was received.
For anyone who would wanna know Elvis described by his real good friends : Jerry Schilling "Me and a guy named Elvis"; George Klein "Elvis my best man"; Larry Geller "If I can dream Elvis own story"; Dick Grob "Safe and sound", Marty Lacker "Elvis portrait of a friend (his own book, not the Alanna Nash book); or by his cousin Gene Smith "Elvis man friday", his secretarey ;Yancey Becky "My mife with Elvis", one of his friends police officer Robert C. Kantwell "The Elvis Presley I knew- Beyond the headlines and scandal to the heart of the superstar "
Interesting take on employer-employee relations there. Did Vernon get that memo? As I've repeatedly pointed out since this vid went up, if your boss got his dad to fire you, you'd wouldn't be vengeful too?
@@bertsbooks2505 which CEO fire himself his employees ? Vernon was working for Elvis and was always the one who hired and fired them. Several years before he had fired Esposito. Esposito didn't not complain to the journalists. The West were having too big heads (it's obvious in the archives). Elvis had to remind them who was the boss. They refused to listen to him one more time. Of course they won't explain : we forgot that we were not Elvis and we'll go on to make money on his back.
@@Chloe-j3o What CEO hires his own dad for those purposes?! When you've been around someone in close quarters for more than two decades, as he had Red, handling it one to one is the least he could have done. We're not talking ICI here, let's be realistic.
@@bertsbooks2505Elvis hired his father early in his career because he trusted him to take care of his business. Where is the problem ? Check Red West's career: he didn't work for Elvis for 20 years continuously (even if the number of years doesn't allow him to publish a book about someone else's room). West was fired and was immediately able to work again with Robert Conrad whom he knew BECAUSE Conrad admired Elvis. When he called Elvis on purpose to record it, Elvis offered to help. West preferred to write the book.
The book is what made him go over the edge. He didn't want it to go public at almost all cost. Elvis did not want to face his fans and the world. What Elvis did is saved all the pills that day than took them all in the bathroom and off himself. Even if the book never came out the drugs still would kill him accidental overdose. They found codeine in his system he was allergic to codeine and knew he was and it would kill him so with them and the rest of the pills well you know what happens. Ladies and Gentlemen Elvis has left the building. Thank you Thank you very much. RIP EP You Turned the World upside and then Shook it. You Showed us all how to have Fun.
Yeah I agree with your pt. Elvis was not going to stop his pharmacy bonanza, yet the book speeded up the process. He was tired of his life. Chemical pills controlled him in later Elvis. It looks like he saved all the bills even going to dentist that day n got extra pain pills. He washed his hairs. That night when noone wasnt avail except Ginger whoever stupid lady, he went up to bathroom n took all the pills. He might even injected himself. He knew his body gave up on him. And the book-. The rest was history. In a way it was a relief so he is with god. RIP.
Hilarious, I haven't had the pleasure or otherwise of reading the book, He got a bit too much fame, coming 3rd on Celebrity Big brother type fame is sufficient imo.....He sang good.
Elvis told Vernon to give them $5,000 to tide them over & he planned on hiring them back when went back on the road. His daddy did not do what Elvis told him to do about the money. I've read a lot of books about Elvis, but not this one. It's too expensive now. Autopsy showed his organs were bigger than normal. I have Crohn's disease, intestinal problem & so painful. That one thing alone makes me wonder how in the world he was able to perform. At the end he was so swollen...Prednisone will do that to you. He took it because of his intestinal illness. He had Insomnia & walked in his sleep. I have sister who was plagued with that & she tried to kill herself. Thank God she wasn't successful. If you can't sleep it makes everything worse. Elvis took uppers & downers when he was in the Army. Plus I think Elvis had meds to help him entertain all his fans over the many years. Plus Colonel Parker worked him like a mule, to help Parker pay off his gambling debts. Parker took 25% of earnings & before everything was over he was taking 50% of Elvis's money. Elvis was so generous giving things away he had only $1 million in his bank account when he died. He continued concerts when he was not able because he had a lot of people depending on him. His autopsy showed just how sick Elvis actually was. I'm surprised he lived as long as he did. His family history showed his ancestors died at early ages. His beloved Mama died at 44. Love & miss Elvis always!❤️
Sorry to hear about the Crohn's - I went to a benefit gig for that a few years ago, the symptons were described to me by a friend who's suffered from it. Almost inevitably, there's an audiobook up of it now! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tESauyLtWzc.html
“Voyeuristic fascination” is your term that is best describes this adjective laden rehash of over-the-top, biased opinions and memories of people who were still close to or had been recently rebuffed by a very sick man-who then actually died-young. It’s impossible for a sensitive human to stomach the salacious exploitation of the sick and deceased-celebrity or not-and the “retelling” of events in this way really is voyeuristic
I call bs on this one, never in reading a RU-vid comments post have I had to Google the meaning of words so much, not because I don't know what they mean but just to be sure they are been used in the right context. Voyeuristic twice in the same paragraph, come on
A lot of people made a living off his death and they all went on and on how much they loved him... blah. We will never know the truth. He was dirt poor as a child and became rich beyond belief and famous overnight... He never grew up and evidently had a sad life for the most part fearing to lose everything seemed to rule him. It's hard to believe it never occurred to him to put a gob of money into savings but instead blew most of it... It happened...crap happens.. everyone that knew him is dead now (almost) what's next?
He blew most of his money on the people around him. I wonder if it had to do with generosity or insecurity more than anything. I think he bought all those friendships of these people who hung around him. They put up with his BS because of the perks. They could all just walk away but the gravy train was too good.
I don't have to watch to say what happened. A good young man came on the scene. Was attacked relentlessly. He fought on and became great with a God given talent. Jealousy and greed started a downhill spiral. It's that verberial snowball on top of the mountain. It's sent down and gains speed and size. It basically destroys all in it path as it gets larger in size. Too much on one man's shoulders. You figure the rest. Had all the haters been kinder out the gate. Would of been a much different outcome. That's my opinion....seen it happen over and over in life!!!
@@bertsbooks2505 I meant Sir,in the beginning people saying he was vulgar and such. And,folks in Nashville saying,go back to truck driving. Just jealousy in my book. And,I'm a believer that if you pick a person to death. It never turns out well. I can understand everyone spitting upon you every turn weighs on a person. I can understand a person could get caught up in wrong behavior after so long. He was human like the rest of us!!!!!
I don't know how much that initial backlash weighed on him, stacked against the level of success and adulation that came his way? Not sure how long the reactionary elements considered him a 'bad boy', particularly once he was out of the army
@@bertsbooks2505 Sir,you asked me to explain what I meant. I tried...I'm sorry I'm not ,as well,versed as you are with words. It is just how I see it. I'm not arguing about the facts that happened. Just saying,what stimulus going on around you....well I does affect a person.
Well I'm with you on the 'he was human' bit - I think I've seen interview footage where he's a bit perplexed at the suggestion that he's some sort of moral danger, so it may have given him some sleepless nights, possibly. Not sure how far that would have influenced his subsequent problems - his career survived fifties 'moral outrage' far better than, say, Jerry Lee Lewis's
Maybe it wasn't pris divorcing Elvis that damaged him. She kept suing him for more money, put a lien on Graceland, forcing him to work at a grinding pace. Perhaps her constantly badmouthing Elvis on the rags, was how sue damaged him. She took his daughter away from him... she was not always mindful of facilitating Lisa's visits to her dad.
You're right (and the first to pick up on that I think) - pic caption in the book puts it at 71, but looks like it was Dec 70. Possibly the story of it didn't break till the following year?
@@t2comicbooksoverviews251 I think I read that the story was kept out of the press until December '71. Not sure why, though. I think Elvis looked great in the outfit he chose to meet the President.
